As students, I’m sure we’re all too familiar with the dreaded term…’budget’
I’m still acquainting myself with it.
via kalboor.com
A trip to Eaton Centre, as well-intentioned as it may be ("I just need to visit Fido and sort out my phone plan!") usually ends up with my wallet feeling lighter and tiny pools of regret curdling up in my stomach.
(Becky Bloomwood from the Shopaholic series is basically my spirit animal)
Which, when on a student budget, is probably not the wisest thing to be.
Anyway, the point is- with all the $$$ we spend on fees, textbooks, metro passes and/or bus passes (#commuterprobs), FOOD, it can all start to pile up and not leave room for much else.
WHICH IS WHY I decided to put together this list, to help all of us budgeting students make life a little more fun. I hope it’ll be of some comfort to you during this particularly stress-prone month.
So, without further ado, here’s what I hope is a comprehensive list of free stuff for us students that won’t break the bank, or even cause a dent:
FOOD:
Muffin Madness
Where: Multi-Faith Center, 569 Spadina Avenue
When: Wednesdays at 4pm
Tea Social
Where: Hart House Reading Room
When: Tuesdays, 11-1
UC Tea and Cookies
Where: Commuter Student Centre
When: Monday-Thursday, 2:30-3:30
Pancake Brunch i
Where: UC Commuter Student Centre
When: Thursday, October 22nd, 11-1
Pancake Brunch ii
Where: Cat’s Eye Student Pub and Lounge, Victoria College
When: Wednesdays, 10-2
Pancake Brunch iii
When: Woodsworth College
Where: Wednesdays, Kruger Hall, 12-2
ENTERTAINMENT:
ON CAMPUS:
Get Crafty:
Where: Hart House Reading Room
When: Thursdays, 11-1
Free Films:
Where: Innis Town Hall
When: Fridays at 7pm
Free Concerts: Jazz at Oscar’s
Where: Arbor Room, Hart House
When: Fridays at 9 pm
Musical Performances
Where: Walter Hall, Faculty of Music
When: Thursdays at noon
Musical Performances
Where: Canadian Opera Company
When: Check website for dates!
University of Toronto Art Centre
Where: 15 King's College Circle
When: Monday-Friday, 12-5
OFF CAMPUS:
Free Museum Visits:
Royal Ontario Museum, free on Tuesdays with TCard
AGO: Free on Wednesdays from 6-8:30 pm
Aga Khan Museum: Free on Wednesdays, 4-8 pm
Toronto Police Museum: free Monday-Friday, 8:30-4 (PWYC - pay what you can donations appreciated)
CBC Museum: Free, Weekdays, 9-5
Bata Shoe Museum: Thursdays after 5 (PWYC)
Textile Museum: Wednesdays, 5-8 (PWYC)
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery
Where: 231 Queens Quay West
When: Free admission, all-year round. Check website for hours.
Harbourfront Centre Visual Art Exhibitinons
Where: 235 Queens Quay W
When: September 26-December 24
Ryerson Image Centre, free admission
Where: 33 Gould Street
When: Varied hours
Free City Walking Tours (ROM)
Where: Check website for meeting spots
When: Check website for tour dates
RELAX:
Drop-In Yoga Classes
Where: Goldring Centre/Athletic Centre/Hart House
When: Check schedule for details
Free Massages
Where: Hart House Chapel
When: Mondays, 12-3
Dance Lessons
Where: CIE
When: Tuesday and Friday, 6-8:30
ACADEMIC:
Free Tutoring:
Where: UofT Peer Tutoring Club
When: Register to select timings
Free Online Courses:
Where: Online, University of Toronto
Past Tests and Exams
Where: ASSU Past Test Library
MISC:
Seeds
Where: New College Library and two other locations
Agendas
Where: UTSU Building
Movies
Where: Media Commons, Robarts Library, Online
(Accessible with UTORid)
Newspapers
Where: Sid Smith entrance, UC building, pretty much every major building on campus!
Planetarium Shows/ Telescope Viewings/UofT Astronomy Public Tour
Where: UofT Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 80 St George Street
When: Date varies but the next one is November 5th! See here for details.
Microsoft Office Suite, available for free for U of T students
Where: Online, here's the how-to
Bonus: If your birthday is coming up, you might just be able to score a free coffee and ice-cream in stores around the city!
What a time to be alive, eh?
I hope I haven’t missed anything out! If I have, let me know in the comments below or on Twitter at Life @ UofT!
Hey! I was just wondering if you knew whether any of the things on this list will still be available this year. If not maybe you could do an updated list for 2016/17 ! Things like this are really great, thanks for helping out.
Good idea! I can’t speak to all of these listed… but I love the idea of an updated list! I’ll pass the idea around to my fellow Community Crew members 🙂